WOODEN
confessionals
set up at El
Retiro Park
in Madrid for
World Youth
Day, 2011.

IHERVAS/123RF STOCK PHOTO

Accept thegift of forgivenessThe path to peace and serenity all begins with the humble admission:Bless me, Father, for I have sinned . . .ATHER BRITTO Berchmans, aformer Salesian of Don Bosco andnow a diocesan priest serving avibrant parish in the Chicago suburb ofPark Ridge, envisions the ideal Catholicparish to be a community of discipleswho seek to live the example of Jesus.Contrition, confession, forgiveness, andINTERVIEWOF FATHERBRITTO M.BERCHMANSBYCAROLINEHOPKINSONF

Father Britto M. Berchmans ispastor of St. Paul of the Crosschurch in Park Ridge, Illinois.Caroline Hopkinson is multi-media editor for the VISIONVocation Network.

reconciliation, all part of the sacrament
of Reconciliation, are key ingredients to
living the Christian life. He explains to
VISION why he hopes to see more Catholics embrace this life-giving encounter
with Christ.

Why is the sacrament
of Reconciliation important?
As saint Paul wrote in his Letter to the
Romans, “All have sinned and fall short
of the glory of God” (Romans 3: 23).
We all need reconciliation and God’s
forgiveness, but how do we obtain it?
Catholics have been given a special gift: